Sean Qian

Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Carnegie Mellon University

My name is Sean Z. Qian. Qian reads like [Chien], or if you insist trying its perfect pronunciation.

I am a Full Professor, jointly appointed at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (major) and Heinz College (minor) at Carnegie Mellon University. I direct the Mobility Data Analytics (MAC). I also hold a Courtesy Professor appointment at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

My research interests lie in the integration and optimization of civil infrastructure systems. The primary focus is to manage an aging and overcrowded infrastructure and cyber-physical-social systems, and to build a sustainable and resilient infrastructure network. I have been developing optimization and statistical models of infrastructure system management by applying theories of AI, network flow and economics.

I did my post-doctoral research at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University. I received my PhD degree in Civil Engineering and Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, and my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Civil Engineering with the focus on Transportation from Tsinghua University, Beijing.

I am always open to working with highly motivated students who have strong quantitative background. Please send me an email if you are interested in the intersection of cyber, infrastructure and social systems, and you are enthusiastic about programming and mathematical modeling. Currently, I am looking for two Ph.D. students entering Fall 2024.

My research interests include: